Anchored
by xxanglophilexx
Summary: He wouldn’t realize how hard he had tried to keep Sirius anchored to the word that he was drifting away from. Oneshot. Could be slash, could not.


**A/N: A rather short one-shot. It could be slash, or it could be a friend comforting a friend. You can decide for yourself.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

oOoOo

Sirius's absence from the dorm did not surprise Remus. It didn't even faze him. It was a simple reoccurrence that Remus had experienced for the past three nights. So, as he had done for those three nights, he climbed out of his bed, pushing the curtains away. He silently padded out of the room, careful not to wake a quietly snoring James and a loudly snoring Peter. There was no need for their wakefulness.

Remus leapt down the stairs two at a time with such a graceful ease that not even the quietest sound was made when he landed. He pulled his dressing gown tightly around him as the cool air of the seemingly abandoned common room rushed towards him. Remus attempted to ignore the cold whilst he walked across the cold stone floor on the balls of his feet. He let his heels slowly lower to the ground when he reached his destination.

For three previous nights, he had sat on the floor, quiet and unnoticed. It had been a sign of respect for his friend's privacy, although Remus had almost been sure that Sirius had realized that it was him perched silently in the darkness. Neither boy had spoken a word, though, during those nights.

Remus's hand gently descended onto Sirius's shoulder. It was a simple gesture, one that Sirius could either ignore or accept. It was another sign of respect. Sirius appreciated having control of what he took part in, and Remus was going to give him that control. Upsetting Sirius whilst he was in the state that he had been suffering through would not be a particularly wise thing.

Sirius's shoulder relaxed underneath the slight pressure of Remus's graceful hand. Remus took this small surrender as an encouragement. He pushed himself forward with the palm of his free hand and sat just inches behind Sirius. His hand's pressure increased on the other boy's shoulder.

The fingers of one of Sirius's large hands loosened their grip on the blanket that he was holding tightly around himself. The blanket sagged and began to slump towards the floor, yet still kept his body covered. Several hoarse sounds escaped from Sirius's throat, but nothing was distinct. His body was too tired to speak.

Remus straightened his legs out on either side of Sirius's still body. He removed his hands from Sirius's shoulder and slowly trailed it down his arm. Sirius remained stoic.

They sat in silence, though Remus did not move his arm from the crook of Sirius's elbow. Sirius had slowly started to lean to the side, and Remus could feel his friend's weight against him. Strange, foreign noises floated from Sirius's mouth, but neither boy made an attempt to start a conversation. They simply stared out the window as best they could from the floor. The sky was dark and desolate, as the mood of the room was.

Without any warning, a strangled sound tore out of Sirius's throat. Remus nearly fell back when Sirius abruptly turned and leaned against him. Sirius's head pressed against Remus's chest, and his hair matted to the side of his face. His body began to convulse with jerking, tearless sobs.

Remus still did not speak. He merely wrapped his thin arms around Sirius's shaking body to hold him tightly to his chest. Remus could feel every rough moment, yet none of the tears that Sirius found impossible to shed fell onto his shirt. He waited until Sirius's sobs subsided before moving again. As muffled choking sounds faded to heavy breathing in the quiet of the common room, Remus carefully stood up and lifted Sirius into his arms. He began to climb the stairs up to the dorm as he carried his heavily sleeping friend up to their room.

Remus set Sirius on his bed gently. Silently, he crept into bed next to him and pulled the covers over them. Wrapping his arms around Sirius once again, Remus shut his eyes and willed sleep to overtake him.

When he would wake the next morning, he wouldn't realize how tightly he had been holding onto Sirius. He wouldn't realize how hard he had tried to keep Sirius anchored to the word that he was drifting away from.

He would simply smile at the other boy, and the silent comfort would be forgotten, as it always was.


End file.
